Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-15
AT STATE DINNERS.
QUESTIONS PEItPLFXING HIGH
CAPITAL SOCIETY.
Precedence of Seats-WhO win sit by
the President or Lead Mrs. ClsvslAuCi
An Awful Social Dilemma.

President and Mrs. Cleveland give their
first dinner in honor of the diplomatic
corps at the Executive Mansion.
1t is said by one who ought to know
that Secretary Bayard claims that the
Secretary of State, being the medium of
communication between the President
and the foreign Ministers, Is the head of
the diplomatic corps and should have
precedence as their chief over all the
Ministers who represent foreign nations
at Washington, including the dean OF
the corps.
The Ambassador or Minister Plenipo.
Tertiary who has longest continuously
represented foreign country at any capt.
tai in Europe as we'll as in w Washington
city Is always called the dean. With US
tits Invariably a minister plen jpotentary.
Since we Go not send ambassadors to other
governments. none are sent us. At pres
ent it is Mr.. Preston, the Minister from
Hayt, who holds the senior place, he hav-
Ing been raised 10 the rank of Minister
PlenipotenIiary in 1878. He had previ-
ously represented his country here as a
minister resident but that does not count
tor it is only minister plenIpOtentiary
who can be recognized as dean of the
diplomatic body.
THE SENIOR DELEGATE.
However great IN size or important in
the eyes of other nations country NAV
be makes no difference whatever IN the
place assigned her Minister at foreign
capitals on State occasions, since the law
Of seniority in consecutive service above
defined holds good in all civilized lands,
and is, all things considered, the fairest
that can be made and least likely to give
otfenee to any one, Tor somebody must
walk at the head of the diplomatic corps
on Stale occasions, since 1t would cause
confusion not to have regular places as
signed 10 every individual.
Now, the question is. who is to take
Mrs. Cleveland in 10 the table and sit on
her right when the annual dinner is given
at the Executive Mansion TO the di plom-
attic corps?
According to the reported stand taken
by Secretary Bayard, he will consider
that he should have that honor, while the
ladies' and gentlemen of the foreign leg9-
tiOns think that it belongs to their dean.
Mr.. Preston and that the Secretary of
State should sit on Mrs. Cleveland's left,
which certainly has been the practice for
some tune back.
WHAT JEFFERSON DID.
Mr.. Jefferson. when President, thought
differently, and, 1t VIII be remembered,
gave great otfense early IN his admins
tratIon by giving his arm to Mrs. Madi-
son, the wife of his Secretary of State, in
stead of to Mrs. Merry, the wife of the
British lster, at a State dinner.
Both MIR. and Mrs. Merry resented this,
and it was even made a subject of diplo.
matte correspondence between him and
our officials, and he even sent complaint
on the subject to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs in England. Mrs. Merry, It is as
serted, as a consequence OF the slight she
assumed, President Jefferson put upon
her, never went to the White House
again.
From the reputed ground taken by the
present Secretary of State it would seem
that he thinks President jefferson was
right in escOrting to table the wife
of his Secretary of State-Mr. Madi-
son-instead of the wife of any foreign
Minister
AS the diplomatic corps now as was
the case then lay such great stress upon
these matters and do not relish any iunO-
vatiOns, If it pr ives true that a change
in the rule which has been of late in force
IN respect to the seating of guests at the
diplomatic dinner at the Executive Man
sion is to be III de, it will certainly eau e
much animated if not wholly irritated
discussion in their sessions until 1t is
thoroughly understood, with its why's and
wheretores.
Lately, when a Minister from an i'm
portant European government, who has
long represented his country at Washing
ton, was asked as to whom Mrs. Cleve-
land should be assigned at the White
8 House state dinner to the diplomats this
winter, be said at once that Mr.. Preston,
the dean OF the corps, should take her to
N table and sit on her ut, and that the Sec
rotary OF State should sit on ner left. This
he said without having heard that Secre-
tary Bayard thought d Inherently.
DAUGHTERS DON'T COUNT.
AS Secretary Bayard has no wife, and
Ordnr n
precedence, and the wife Ofthe Minister
from Hayti is absent, as well as Nine.
N0guelras, the wife of the Portuguese
Minister, who ranks next in length OF SER
vice at Washington 10 Mr.. Preston, and
Baroness de Fava also, whose husband.
the Minister from Italy, comes next for
The reason above gwen, the President,
therefore, must escort the wife of the
Mexican Minister to dinner at the same
Banquet, for Mr.. Romero, the Mexican
Minister, IS She first married man on the
oncial list OF the foreign legation whose
VIC Is now in Washington, or likely to be
this winter, though there are five other
minister's, three of whom are married,
Wbo, because OF length of service here,
nnk above Mr.. Romero.
80 it is Nine. Romero who will be taken
pg President Cleveland from the parlor
Where on the occasion Of the diplomatic
dinner the guests will assemble before
me dinner is announced to the State DIM
ing room, and she will sit on his right.
80, while her husband will, il all the
other Ministers above him on the list are
pfesent, be sixth among the foreign gem
tlemen there, Nine. Romero will be the
urst lady among the guests.
SECOND IN RANK.
Mime. de Struve, the wife OF the Russian
MiLister, who has served mere next long
81 alter Mr. Romero, is also absent, so
tbe place on the left Of the President,
Wch Will be that Of the lady second IN
rank among the wives OF foreign Minis
teis, will be assigned TO Mrs. Carter,
Whose husband Is the Minister from
naval. She is an English lady, and
Mne Romero an American, so the Presi-
Qent can converse with both ladies' beside
mn ON The occasion, which he could not
90 at the diplomatic dinner last year,
Wien Nine. Nogueiras. The wife OF the
fofluguese Minister, was taken by him
totable and sat on his right, for that lady
speaks no English al all.
.flr Lionel Sackvlle West, the British
Minister, has served here as such since
NOV. a., 1881, ana had ne a wife she would
have the place OF second lady, il present
AZ state dinner, when Nine. Preston
was present ard NJ me. Noguelras and
d.